Matthews: Which state nuclear program poses the greatest threat to global security today?
I would argue that the number one state nuclear program that poses a threat to international security is Iran’s. Religion and nukes are not a good mix. Tehran continues to state that it intends to wipe Israel off the map while it pursues its uranium enrichment program. In the book Under a Mushroom Cloud: Europe, Iran and the Bomb, Emanuele Ottolenghi builds a convincing case that informs my choice. Second would be North Korea’s, given that Pyongyang has openly asserted it will target Tokyo (population 30 million) in any future conflict. Third is Pakistan’s because the country seems be heading down the path of state failure, opening up the possibility that religious extremists might attempt to seize control of the nation’s nuclear arsenal, which could draw in India and the U.S.
